Error: The installation of the package 'plesk-site' failed with code 1603. (upgrade: upgrading Plesk

[burnley]

Well, recently I sort of started to believe that Plesk update/upgrade has come a long way. I was wrong, just dead wrong. It's still rubbish, spitting out errors and leaving your server in an inconsistent state.
This time round I'm trying to upgrade Windows 2012 R2 64bit from 12.0.8 to 12.5.30, but I can't. First attempt was from the Panel, where it failed with:
MSI: Error! Critical action 'Configure Plesk site...' failed:
Command "C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\\admin\bin64\websrvmng.exe" --configure-plesk-website failed with code 1. Output: at execute "C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin64\websrvmng.exe" --configure-plesk-website(vconsoleapp::run line 117)
Stderr:

at (CmdSystemAction::Commit line 447)
at Execute action Configure Plesk site...(executeList line 293)
Failed to install 'C:\ParallelsInstaller\parallels\PANEL-WIN_12.5.30\dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386\plesk-site.msi': Fatal error during installation. (Error code 1603)
Error: The installation of the package 'plesk-site' failed with code 1603. (upgrade: upgrading Plesk WebSite...)

Then, I killed the installer process from the task manager and tried again from cli using "ai.exe --console" which come to an end with the same error. I had a look at the C:\ParallelsInstaller\parallels\PANEL-WIN_12.5.30\dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386\plesk-site.msi path and the file is there. Permissions issue? If yes, how can I circumvent it?
How can I possibly get it up and running again? It's pretty much stuffed. As my colleague said before starting the upgrade: "what could possibly go wrong!"

L.E. Forgot to mention: of course the Panel isn't loading anymore!

 

[burnley]

Tried to start again, made sure I'm running cmd.exe as administrator, here's the result of ai.exe --console

Preparing Your System for Product Installation
===============================================================================

There are 7 packages required for the product to function properly, which
were not found in your system.

There are 56 packages that need to be upgraded
in order to install the product.



N) Install packages;
S) Show a list of packages; L) Return to primary components list;
Q) Cancel installing;
Select an action [N]:
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk-site.msi:
11%..21%..30%..41%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/panel-management
.msi: 10%..21%..30%..40%..50%..61%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/mysql-admin.msi:
10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk-locale-bas
e-en-US.msi: 11%..20%..30%..41%..51%..60%..70%..81%..91%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk.msi: 10%..
20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk-zend.msi:
10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk-l10n.msi:
10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk-skins.msi:
10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..71%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk-engine.msi
: 10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/spaw.msi: 10%..2
3%..32%..41%..50%..62%..70%..83%..92%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/panel-desktop.ms
i: 10%..23%..30%..41%..51%..62%..72%..83%..94%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk-python.msi
: 10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk-perl.msi:
10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk-db-upgrade
r.msi: 13%..20%..35%..42%..51%..65%..71%..83%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/awstats.msi: 10%
..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/bind.msi: 10%..2
0%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/spamassassin.msi
: 10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/phpmyadmin.msi:
10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/mylittleadmin.ms
i: 10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/plesk-migration-
manager.msi: 10%..21%..32%..40%..50%..61%..72%..81%..92%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/health-monitorin
g.msi: 10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading SITEBUILDER-WIN_12.5.29/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/sitebuilde
r-core.msi: 10%..20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/mysql51-server-c
onfigurator.msi: 10%..21%..30%..40%..51%..60%..70%..81%..91%..100% was finished.

File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/php5.msi: 10%..2
0%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/php53.msi: 10%..
20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/php54.msi: 10%..
20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
File downloading PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/dist-msi-Microsoft-2003-i386/php55.msi: 10%..
20%..30%..40%..50%..60%..70%..80%..90%..100% was finished.
Installing packages
upgrading Plesk WebSite...
MSI: Error! Critical action 'Configure Plesk site...' failed:
The system cannot find the file specified. (Error code 2) at Unable to connect t
o pipe \\.\pipe\I_260b919c-494f-4cfd-bf22-83e74ac95758
at (Con::ClientOverlappedPipe::create line 503)
at Execute action Configure Plesk site...(executeList line 293)
Failed to install 'C:\ParallelsInstaller\parallels\PANEL-WIN_12.5.30\dist-msi-Mi
crosoft-2003-i386\plesk-site.msi': Fatal error during installation. (Error code
1603)

ERROR: The installation of the package 'plesk-site' failed with code 1603. (upgr
ade: upgrading Plesk WebSite...)
Not all packages were installed.
Please, contact product technical support.

c:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin>

 

[burnley]

More info from plesk_preupgrade_checker.log:
[...]
INFO: Unable to connect to IP address x.x.x.x on Plesk Panel secure HTTPS port 8443: A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond.

WARNING: Unable to connect to some Plesk ports. Please see C:\ParallelsInstaller\parallels\PANEL-WIN_12.5.30/plesk_preupgrade_checker.log for details. Find the full list of the required open ports at http://kb.odin.com/en/391
INFO: Result: WARNING
[...]

Of course it can't connect to 8880 and 8443, because the friggin' panel can't start, because it's stuffed!

 

[burnley]

Tried the workaround from http://kb.odin.com/en/122023 and then went to manually run the websrvmng.exe command, here's the result:

c:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin64>websrvmng.exe --configure-plesk-website
A specified logon session does not exist. It may already have been terminated. (
Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070520)
In Microsoft.Web.Administration module
Exception type: System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException
at Microsoft.Web.Administration.Interop.IAppHostMethodInstance.Execute()
at Microsoft.Web.Administration.BindingManager.Save()
at Microsoft.Web.Administration.ServerManager.CommitChanges()
at ServerManagerFactory.commit()
at IISServerManager.commit(IISServerManager* )

at _configurePleskSiteWebsite()(PleskWebSite::_configurePleskSiteWebsite line
152)
at configurePleskSite()(PleskWebSite::configurePleskSite line 379)
at execute console command --configure-plesk-website(vconsoleapp::start line
100)
at execute websrvmng.exe --configure-plesk-website(vconsoleapp::run line 117)

c:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin64>

Also, when trying to access http://localhost:8880 I get the following displayed:
Unable to read Control Panel configuration file:

 

[burnley]

Small progress haha. Went into IIS and re-selected the Plesk panel SSL certificate for https:8443, now I get the same "Unable to read Control Panel configuration file: " message in the panel. Legend!

 

[burnley]

Same error from the Plesk reconfigurator, run as administrator for Plesk Services:

Unable to execute "C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin\websrvmng.exe" --configure-plesk-website:
A specified logon session does not exist. It may already have been terminated. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070520)
In Microsoft.Web.Administration module
Exception type: System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException
at Microsoft.Web.Administration.Interop.IAppHostMethodInstance.Execute()

at Microsoft.Web.Administration.BindingManager.Save()

at Microsoft.Web.Administration.ServerManager.CommitChanges()

at ServerManagerFactory.commit()

at IISServerManager.commit(IISServerManager* )
at _configurePleskSiteWebsite()(PleskWebSite::_configurePleskSiteWebsite line 152)
at configurePleskSite()(PleskWebSite::configurePleskSite line 379)
at execute console command --configure-plesk-website(vconsoleapp::start line 100)
at execute "C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin64\websrvmng.exe" --configure-plesk-website(vconsoleapp::run line 117)

Funny how I'm seeing two paths to the websrvmng.exe in the command output:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin\websrvmng.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin64\websrvmng.exe

We have a ticket opened, however so far the technical support was pretty ordinary at best, mostly asking for Webex access.

 

[burnley]

What I'm seeing here is the following behaviour: everytime I try to run the reconfigurator, or execute
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallels\Plesk\admin\bin\websrvmng.exe" --configure-plesk-website
directly, Plesk tries to fiddle probably with the ssl certificate, because after the above quoted error, the https:8443 instance is left with no SSL certificate enabled. Combined with the "Unable to read Control Panel configuration file: " error, this may hint to a permissions problem. Is there any way to, either:
1. Reset the permissions schema for the IIS Panel vhost?
2. Try to force the reinstallation on the Panel services?

 

[IgorG]

As far as I see your issue is under supporter's investigation in scope of ticket #2035989
I hope that Support Team will resolve this problem very soon. But it is really very difficult without access to your server.

 

[burnley]

Zdravstvuyte Igor, we're in touch with the support, yes, however there's not much progress here yet. To update other readers that might come across this post, we're still stuck with the websrvmng.exe error in post 6 above.
Looks like the Plesk reconfigurator isn't that bullet proof, since it can't skip past this error. An alternative would be to forcibly remove the Plesk panel site from IIS, possibly some of the existing Plesk packages, but without touching any existing www, mail, database & DNS configuration and start the installer/repair/whatever other tool again. There MUST be a way to go past this problem, which I believe is a permission one.
In summary:
1. Panel inoperable, displays "Unable to read Control Panel configuration file: " whatever file I try to access under admin\htdocs\
2. Other services are fine.
3. We don't know whether we're running a combination of 12.0.8 and 12.5.30 at the moment.

 

[burnley]

Hi Igor and everyone,

Thanks for looking into it. So far we've tried this and that and nothing seems to work. We've only been given incomplete advise and nobody seems to have any idea what version of Plesk is running at the moment on this server and how to, at least, collect a system summary. We're now 24 hours later left with a Plesk installation that's inoperable, only God knows what version. The support engineer asked us to run parallels_installer_<version> and unpack msi files, but even this advise was far from complete, he didn't even mention:

1. What is the <version>?
2. Which msi files to unpack? More precisely, name, version, arch?
3. Where to copy the unpacked files from the C:\MyFolder location?

Are we able to pull ourselves up and work on the issue in a more professional manner? We are constantly being asked to provide Plesk supervised remote access, however, can anyone offer us any guarantee on the outcome of the remote session(s), given that we're ultimately dealing with customer data here and growing customer frustration?

 

[IgorG]

We are constantly being asked to provide Plesk supervised remote access, however, can anyone offer us any guarantee on the outcome of the remote session(s), given that we're ultimately dealing with customer data here and growing customer frustration?

Our guarantee is Server Permission Agreement - https://www.odin.com/support/spf/ If you are not satisfied with our guarantee and you can not give access to your server for our Support engineers, I'm afraid that our ability to help you will be extremely small.

 

[burnley]

Hi Igor and everyone, just a quick update on this ticket: we somehow managed to get the Panel upgraded and patched. Don't ask right now how, we're still reviewing what's been done so far. It's now loading the Plesk interface and most functionality seems to be there, which is a huge step ahead. Now, we still had/have few glitches:
- Servershield Cloudflare extension wouldn't upgrade because of missing ioncube loader. Fixed it by manually entering the zend_extension path in admin\conf\php.ini. Why hasn't Plesk configured the extension? The dll was already in the modules path.
- MyLittleAdmin settings were partially lost, we need to restore the license key.
- Can't change the PHP handler in the Panel, we now get this error in the panel:
"Error code -1073741701)"
It appears to be related to the same upgrade glitched experienced earlier, related to websrvmng.exe binary or permissions associated to
it. I see the very same error when I run: plesk repair --stop-plesk-website
*BUT* I don't see this error if I execute websrvmng.exe directly from a cmd window as administrator with the same --stop-plesk-website switch. Permissions?

 

[burnley]

More updates: looks like our websrvmng.exe grief is caused by Plesk failing to install/upgrade plesk-service-node-utilities.msi. So, after Plesk support engineer's reply, I downloaded plesk-service-node-utilities.msi from:
http://autoinstall-win.pp.parallels...ft-2003-i386/plesk-service-node-utilities.msi
and unpacked it in a temporary location. Looks like there are quite a few difference between the temp location and the plesk one, meaning that as part of the Plesk upgrade this plesk-service-node-utilities.msi wasn't downloaded/unpacked at all. Can we figure out:
1. Why?
2. What other packages were supposed to be installed as part of the upgrade process, but were not? Can we get a complete list of all the msi packages that should have been downloaded and installed?
I find it totally odd that this plesk-service-node-utilities.msi wasn't even downloaded, let alone unpacked and installed.

 

[burnley]

Well well, looks like our upgrade grief is coming to an end, thanks to the professionalism of L2 and L3 tech support. websrvmng.exe problem was resolved by copying the right files, provided via support, in %plesk%\admin\bin64\ location. I understand there is a Plesk internal issue related to the upgrade, which may have caused the installer issue that cause the upgrade failure.
Would be great if Igor or someone else from Plesk will publish some technical information here related on the internal issue, we're very keen to understand what's actually happened.